Gingercat: 7 Years Old

Tomorrow my baby turns 7. I have real trouble getting my head around the fact that seven years has flown by and my baby is no longer a baby but a funny, independent, lively and very strong willed little boy.

Seven years ago after a wonderfully calm and empowering birth he came into the world to complete our family. I'll be totally honest with you, when I found out I was pregnant for the second time, I secretly yearned for another girl, back then I felt that I knew how girls worked, and a boy seemed like such a scary prospect. It took a good few weeks to get my head around the fact that I was going to have a boy.

Then Alex was born, he was such a joy and he totally changed my perception of boys. He was a dream baby, he slept for hours, took to breastfeeding like he had done it a million times before and he was oh such a cuddly baby. The bond between us was instant and for those first five years of his life he was most definitely a mummy's boy, which after having a daddy's girl first time around was fantastic.

He has grown into a confident, cheeky, football crazy lovely little boy. He drives me nuts at times with his strong will and his burning ambition to do whatever he deems fit but he also makes me laugh so much with his crazy ways and very silly sense of humour. He really is a very special and a very loved little boy who has bought so much our lives.

I have selected a few photographs to show how he has grown over those 7 years and want to wish him a very happy birthday for tomorrow.

The big boy bump a few weeks before he was born.

Daisy meeting Alex for the very first time, she was totally smitten and never

showed an ounce of jealousy towards him.

Alex at 8 weeks, he started to grow a very funky little quiff which just grew taller and taller. At one point he would have given Jedward a run for their money!

My smiling baby at around 7 months.

From lovely baby to crazy toddler.

A first taste of boating in the lakes.

Looking cool as a pirate.

With his big sister in the days when he hero worshipped her. It's such a shame that some things have to change!

The face says it all. His first day in reception, he wasn't overly keen at the thought of going to school but he soon settled in and learnt to love it - particularly play times.